Spare bulb holder for flashlights



Aug. 9, 1966 L. D- WHITMAN SPARE BULB HOLDER FOR FLASHLIGHTS Filed June 29, 1964 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,265,880 SPARE BULB HOLDER FOR FLASHLIGHTS Leslie D. Whitman, Greenville, Ky. Filed June 29, 1964, Ser. No. 378,589 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-1066) This invention relates to bulb holding devices, and more particularly to a device for storing spare bulbs within a flashlight.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spare bulb holder for flashlights which will encase a spare bulb within the spring contact area of the flashlight case to provide for easy bulb replacement in the event of bulb failure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spare bulb holder for flashlights which will have screw cap means external of the end wall of the flashlight case which will provide access immediately to the spare bulb.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spare bulb holder for flashlights which will in no way affect the normal use of the flashlight and will not mar the appearance of the flashlight.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a spare bulb holder for flashlights bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture, and is eflicient in operation anduse.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a invention in section; and

FIGURE 2 is an end view of FIGURE 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a spare bulb holder for flashlights made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a dome-shaped cylinder 12 having an annular flange 14 which abuts against end wall 16 of flashlight case 18. Cylinder 112 is fixedly secured at flange 14 to end wall 16 and is freely received within the interior of contact spring 211 of flashlight case 18. Cylinder 12 freely receives flashlight bulb 22 which is encased within cylinder 12 and cylinder 12 is provided with external threads on its open end which extend from opening 24 of flashlight case 18. The threaded end of cylinder 12 threadingly receives an internally threaded screw cap 26 which abuts with end wall 16 externally of flashlight case 18 and prevents bulb 22 from falling from within cylinder 12.

In use, the user rot-ates screw cap 26 counterclockwise until it is free of cylinder 12 and flashlight case 18 is turned so that end wall 16 is down and the user may flashlight showing the catch the bulb 22 as it slides from within cylinder 12. Bulb 22 may then be placed into the reflector and lens end of the flashlight case 18, and the bulb which is defective may be easily disposed of.

It shall be noted that the dome-ended cylinder 12 in no way interferes with spring 20 and may be made of plastic or other suitable material.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a flashlight having a tubular case with a lamp at one forward end and a contact coil spring defining an interior storage area at the opposite rear end, a spare bulb holder comprising, in combination, a dome-shaped hollow cylinder providing capsule means for storing a spare bulb within the case of the flashlight, an internally threaded cap carried by said cylinder providing closure means for said cylinder, said cylinder having an annular flange intermediate its ends secured within an opening defined by said rear end of said case, one end of said cylinder being closed and being freely received within the storage area defined by the coils of the contact coil spring, and the opposite end of said cylinder defining an access opening for receiving a spare bulb and projecting outwardly of said rear end of said case, said opposite end of said cylinder projecting from said rear end of said flashlight case and having an external thread for threadedly receiving said screw cap to close said cylinder and confine said spare bulb received within said cylinder, said screw cap abutting the exterior of said rear end of said tubular case to effectively seal the interior of said cylinder, said cap being removable from said opposite end of said cylinder for removal of a spare bulb from the interior of said cylinder for use, said cylinder being in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of said case and in spaced relationship with said spring, said spring making electrical contact between said case and batteries contained within said case independently of said cylinder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,210,312 8/1940 Wood 240-106 2,271,421 1/1942 Gits 240-10.66 2,401,867 6/ 1946 Grimes 2408.16X 2,806,132 9/1957 Swanson et al.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. EVON C. BLUNK, Examiner. 

